Hadnot History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The vast movement of people that followed the Norman Conquest of England in 1066 brought the Hadnot family name to the British Isles. Hadnot comes from the Norman name Odinet, from which the more commonly known Odo is derived.

Early Origins of the Hadnot family

The surname Hadnot was first found in Shropshire at Hodnet, a village and civil parish in the union of Drayton, in the hundred of North Bradford. The first record of the place name was found in the Domesday Book of 1086 where it was listed as Odenet. [1]CITATION[CLOSE]Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8) Apart from the aforementioned patronymic origin, the place name could also mean "pleasant valley," from the Welsh "hawdd" meaning "pleasant" or "peaceful" and "nant," a "glen or valley." [2]CITATION[CLOSE]Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)

Early History of the Hadnot family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hadnot research.Another 120 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1116 and 1237 are included under the topic Early Hadnot History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hadnot Spelling Variations

Multitudes of spelling variations are a hallmark of Anglo Norman names. Most of these names evolved in the 11th and 12th century, in the time after the Normans introduced their own Norman French language into a country where Old and Middle English had no spelling rules and the languages of the court were French and Latin. To make matters worse, medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, so names frequently appeared differently in the various documents in which they were recorded. The name was spelled Hodenet, Hignett, Hignet, Hodnet, Hodnett, Hodenett, Hodinett, Hodinutt, Hodinut, Hodinott, Hodinot, Hoddenett, Hoddinet, Hoddinutt and many more.

Early Notables of the Hadnot family (pre 1700)

More information is included under the topic Early Hadnot Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Hadnot family to Ireland

Some of the Hadnot family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.Another 104 words (7 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Hadnot family to the New World and Oceana

Because of this political and religious unrest within English society, many people decided to immigrate to the colonies. Families left for Ireland, North America, and Australia in enormous numbers, traveling at high cost in extremely inhospitable conditions. The New World in particular was a desirable destination, but the long voyage caused many to arrive sick and starving. Those who made it, though, were welcomed by opportunities far greater than they had known at home in England. Many of these families went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Hadnot or a variant listed above: Humphrey Hadnett, who sailed to Virginia in 1635; Elizabeth and James Hignett sailed to Maryland in 1666; John Hignett to Maryland in 1675; Francis Hadnett arrived in Boston Massachusetts in 1767.

Contemporary Notables of the name Hadnot (post 1700)

James Weldon Hadnot (1957-2017), American football player who played running back for the Kansas City Chiefs